Cooper's Ligaments and Bras

[Kaleidoscope_Eyes 908]

So, I've been doing some reading about breast support and increasing the perkiness of your breasts. I just had my revision a couple of weeks ago and while my boobs aren't sagging, my nipples are sitting lower than I'd like. I never had great nipple position with the larger implants either. I feel like the overfilled upper pole forced them down and outward and increased my nipple to clavicle distance. It was initially 19cm before surgery and is now 21cm. I'm willing to accept that they'll probably never be fully lifted to their pre-BA position without the help of a crescent lift or some surgical intervention. However, I know that I will experience some degree of skin retraction over the next few months and I've been looking into ways to support this as best I can. 

 So some sources say that wearing a bra actually weakens your Cooper's ligaments (the ligaments that hold your boobs up and keep them perky). I guess the theory makes sense. If you don't use certain muscles or ligaments in the body, they atrophy because they're not needed. So wearing a bra takes all of the pressure off of the ligaments and they weaken. Then when you're not wearing a bra, they can't maintain the lift that they would otherwise be able to if the ligaments were strong and working hard. But there aren't any muscles in the breast so I don't know how much ligament strength alone can be improved by 'making them work' to keep your boobs perky.

There is conflicting evidence and advice out there. Thoughts?

 

[sabP 750]

Hey hun... from what I know the best way to strengthen your Cooper's ligaments, particularly after a BA, is to swim. Other exercises for Cooper's include pectoral strengthening such as push ups, bench presses, flyes and dips - However, these exercises are not recommended for anatomicals (my PS says not to do them at all, I know other surgeons say they are ok) as they put too much pressure on the implant and can cause them to move outwards. Swimming on the other hand engages your pecs (and thus your Cooper's) differently and does not cause the same type of pressure as other forms of exercise.  

The bra wearing is more to support the weight of the breasts and prevent sagging from the weight dragging the breast tissue/implant downward. A bra will not "strengthen" ligaments, however it doesn't actually weaken them either - that's not the purpose of bra wearing. Again my PS recommends bra wearing at all times when you are upright and gravity is in force.

That's my 2 cents worth and I am sure other girls will add their thoughts in to the discussion too

[pink butterfly 1,511]

My opinion would be to go and see a physio or PT who could give you particular exercises in relation to helping these ligaments. Also remembering that the skin is our biggest organ, I would also look at your nutrition to help with skin elasticity.

[Kaleidoscope_Eyes 908]

Yes, I think I will stick with the notion of 'support, support, support!' I taped my nipples up with duck tape last night and this morning I used hypafix to do the same thing. So I think for the next few months I'll use the hypafix and just wait and see. I do need to improve my diet haha.

[I HaveBoobs 951]

Hey hun i am a PT and what @ SabP says is correct in strengthening the muscles  while my PS has reccomended that i try to avoid training my chest it is completely out of my control as i teach 3 Pump classes a week but i only use light weights and that has chest press, dips and pushups,  i modify my dips and pushups so i think doing some sort of gentle chest exercises may help and definitely the swimming.  I have also noticed that my chest muscles contract when doing pretty much any upper body exercises so you dont just have to train the chest to get activation in the chest area.  Just my 2 cents worth ? 

[Kaleidoscope_Eyes 908]

Yes, thank you both! I will look at what exercises might be helpful.